Sweden go into the game in third place and on one point, so anything less than a win would mean Ibrahimovic signing off with his country, having announced on Tuesday his global career would come to an end after Euro 2016.
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One of soccer’s biggest personalities, the 34-year-old Sweden striker needs to step up against Belgium on Wednesday with his team nearly certainly needing a win to progress at the European Championship.
Ibrahimovic threw the ball away in frustration as the Belgian players celebrated and Sweden’s talismanic captain cut a forlorn figure after the final whistle as he slowly walked over to applaud his team’s yellow-clad fans. “I come from little Rosengård (an immigration ghetto in Malmö) and made Sweden my country – it will remain my country forever”. “I sent their entire country into retirement”, he said after the tie.
“I’m proud of what I have achieved and I will have many attractive memories of my Sweden career”, he added.
“I’m very disappointed”, Sweden coach Erik Hamren said.
Sweden head into the game on one point from two games and need a win to give themselves any chance of qualifying for the last 16. “For me disappointment doesn’t exist, only proudness and grateful and very thankful”.
Chances came thick and fast, Sweden nearly grabbing a dream start three minutes in when a goalmouth half-volley by Marcus Berg, in for John Giudetti as strike partner to Ibrahimovic, was batted out by Thibaut Courtois.
“Unearthing a new Zlatan?”
“He’s special. He’s unique”.
Belgium Marc Wilmots has warned his players not to become emotionally involved in the au revoir Zlatan narrative. He made at least five attempts but they were blocked or went just wide.
Both teams had quality chances throughout a scoreless first half.
Belgium eventually took the lead in the 83rd minute, as Radja Nainggolan picked up the ball 25-yards out and rifled the ball into the far corner.
It could be his last his last worldwide match for Sweden! Our objective was to qualify, but unfortunately he is now eliminated.
His spectacular bicycle kick for Sweden against England won the 2013 FIFA Puskas Award for Goal of the Year. On the other hand they will play this match with World’s second best team now.
“I think we have one global player at the same level as [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and that’s Ibra”. This could be the slice of luck that his team need to take the next step at worldwide level.
He has also played for Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ibrahimovic is widely expected to join Hazard in the Premier League next season with a move to Manchester United, and the Chelsea attacker thinks his opposite number will continue thriving.
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Fresh from a convincing 3-0 victory over Ireland, Belgium knows that a point will be enough for it to progress to the round of 16 at Euro 2016. Romelu Lukaku scored two goals while Axel Witzel scored the other as Belgium got themselves up and running.
